Used as a bitter tonic to stimulate the appetite
Used to treat dyspepsia and atonic gastritis
Used as an antiparasitic
Much prized by the ancients and one of the most bitter herbs known, wormwood has a long and distinguished history of medicinal use in various cultures of East and West.
HW Felter and JU Lloyd, well-known Eclectic physicians of the early part of the last century, recommended wormwood for the expulsion of intestinal parasites and noted its usefulness for "atonic states of the gastro-intestinal tract."
An endorsement of the therapeutic value of this herb is provided by well-known physician Rudolf Weiss: "Wormwood is a very ancient, well proven stomach and gallbladder remedy. It relieves the lesser symptoms of atonic and achylic states in the stomach, assists in the digestion of difficult foods, and ameliorates the sensation of fullness and accumulation of gases."
Commission E, Germany’s foremost herbal authority, has approved wormwood for the following uses: "Loss of appetite, dyspepsia, biliary dyskinesia."
Yet another normative source, the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia lists the specific indications for wormwood as: "Nematode infestation. Anorexia. Atonic dyspepsia."
In his monograph on wormwood, leading herbalist David Hoffmann explains that, "Traditionally, wormwood has been used in a wide range of conditions, from indigestion to depression, many of which have been validated by scientific analysis. The herb is primarily used as a bitter to stimulate and invigorate the whole digestive process. It is helpful in indigestion, especially when due to a deficient quantity or quality of gastric juices. As the name implies, wormwood is a powerful remedy against worm infestations, especially roundworm and pinworm."
In the same vein herbalist Simon Mills points out that, "There are certainly particular qualities in this remedy which make it more than just a powerful bitter digestive stimulant. It is antiparasitic, much used, as its name suggests, for the treatment of intestinal worms. In large doses it is quite cathartic, and at these levels, the action of the constituents in killing parasites and incidentally checking bacterial populations, is quite appreciable."
Administration:
5-30 drops (0.2-1 ml), three times daily, in a mouthful of water, before or after meals (as the case dictates).
Contraindications and Cautions:
Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not use if you are allergic or sensitive to the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Do not use if you suffer from gallstones, gallbladder inflammation, liver disease, gastric or duodenal ulcers, seizures or porphyria.
Ingredients:
Certified Organic
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) |
